A Lad Insane
by jareth-newton
Summary: Toby has been in the Brownholm Assylum since his 8th birthday after raving incessently about a Goblin King who visits and talks to him. Sarah believes her ordeal to be a dream and that Toby's just using that: but we all know it really is our favorite King
1. Chapter 1

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: Hi, Jareth-newton here. Who else? I also have another story up (Ah My Dear Brother) if you enjoy my writing style. If you don't, then you don't have to read it. It's as simple as that. I'm so proud, I used a David Bowie song as the title. Okay, so I cheated a bit. So what? Okay...ready? READY! In this story, the TTTTTT is Toby's Pov, SSSSSS is Sarah's Pov, and the OOOOOOOOOOOOO is Jareth. the --------------------- is just a random perspective that gets no name. Let's go!**

7/15/87: Toby's third birthday

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The tall man is here again, waving around the crystal. He acts nice, but something seems very different about him. I kind of remember him. But it was in a dream, so I'm not sure. He smiles and calls me a good boy and asks me about Sissie. I keep my mouth shut like I always do. His face changes and he sighs. Today's my birthday, I tell him. He smiles again and says that since it is, he shall give me a present. He asks me what I want. I think. I don't want to waste a present, and this man seems like he can give me anything I want. What do I want? Finally I decide. I want a crystal ball, like his, that will show me my dreams any time I want to see them. He bows, and gives me one, and I shake it. I see me flying now, and I relive the dream. The tall man is gone.Sissie comes into my room. Hey Toby, watcha got there, she asks, and I show her. Her face is really very white as she takes my present away and puts it on top of my dresser. Come downstairs, Toby, Mommie and Daddy are waiting. I go downstairs and get my presents and eat my cake. But when I come back upstairs, the crystal is gone and Sarah has a shifty look in her eyes.

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Toby had one of those...things that HE used to fling around all the time. I dreamed this a year ago, but it's still so fresh in my memory, even the taste of that damned peach. And that song...it drifts through my head, day in and day out. But it was only a dream, wasn't it?

So why did Toby have a crystal ball?

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The child is afraid of me, yet he knows he knows me. This is good. I gave him a little present today, just what I knew he'd ask for. As I had planned. And I watched Sarah take the crystal from him, hide it on top of his dresser and send him away. When they are both gone I vanished the crystal, leaving no trace of it behind. Sarah will never know what hit her. She'll be sorry for ever defying me, and she'll hurt ten times worse than I have. But for my plan to work, I need the brother. The little child is the key.

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7/15/89 Toby's 6th birthday

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The man still comes back, nearly every day, and we talk. He tells me about the Underground, tells me marvelous stories of the goblins who live there, and of a beautiful girl who beat the Labyrinth and married the king. But when he tells this story, he looks sad, so very sad. I think he really knew that girl, and that she didn't marry him. Prob'ly cuz she thought he had cooties. Girls have stupid ideas like that.

Today after my birthday dinner, mom saw me talking to the Goblin King. But strangely, she couldn't see him, and seemed to think I was playing make believe. When I asked her if she saw him, she just smiled and nodded. Of course dear, she said. She was lying to me. Even Sarah doesn't believe me. When I tell her the stories he tells me, she screams at me to shut up. I haven't told her the most recent one about the girl, though. He made me promise not to.

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It isn't true...he isn't real...I just told Toby the story and now he's playing make-believe. He's a kid. Of COURSE he's playing make-believe. He should really be an actor though, his stories are so real...BUT THEY'RE NOT! They just can't be. It's okay, I'm going away to college in two months with Jeff and I won't have to hear this anymore. It's funny, but I just don't feel...I don't know, FEEL Jeff or any of the others like I felt that stupid dream King. But he was a dream. Nothing more.

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Oh, Sarah...I've watched every exchange you've ever had with any of those lesser _human _males, every touch, every kiss, every word. I'd've given my world for just one of those kisses. But do you think of me? No, not at all. And now you leave, you leave this poor defenseless child alone with me. How heartless Sarah. But don't worry, you'll regret it. Oh, yes, you'll regret it...

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7/15/91 Toby's eighth birthday, 9:07 PM, Brownholm Mental Facility

NAME: Toby Williams AGE:8 years GENDER: Male

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: young, very eager, blonde hair, blue eyes. Typical child. Raves about a Goblin King and stories about a Labyrinth. Insistance that they are real never wavers. Symptoms occuring since: Age 6. Reccomended Treatment: Incarceration, for 6 months or more.

**AN: Ooooh...I know, it's a little far-fetched that an 8-year old would be admitted to a mental facility, but...hey, it's amateur work. Whaddya expect? So, other than that small detail, please tell me what I can do better. Yaay! 'till next time!**


	2. 3 weeks later

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: So..here we go...yaay! I've gotten a review, so thank you for that very much. OOH! And...i'm a geek, I got my Labyrinth bracelet yesterday. I'm so haaapppyyy...it has all these pictures of Jaaarethh...yaaaaay! I screamed a little when I got it. Oh well. At least I'm not afraid to admit my geekdom even if it is to people I don't actually know and talk to . Here we go!**

3 weeks pass

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I don't like it here. I don't. I don't understand what I did wrong. Why doesn't anybody believe me about the Goblin King? He's right here! Don't you see him? Don't you hear him talking to me? Why...I don't understand. I'm crying now, and it's shameful. It's the third time this week I've cried in front of Jareth. He bends down, kneels.

"What is wrong, Toby?" He asks me. His two different colored eyes are concerned. He's my best friend in the world, and I KNOW he's real! Why doesn't anybody else see him?

"I...I wanna go home!" I cry. I miss Mommy and Daddy, and Sarah. Oh, they come to visit almost every day, and since I'm not "dangerous" I'm allowed to go outside and play. But it isn't the same: There's no grass, only cement, and the walls of the assylum are hard and cold. I'm really scared. I don't want to be here. He understands, though. He knows how it is to have to be somewhere even though you don't want to be.

"I know, Toby, I know. Would you like to see home? See your sister?" He pulls out a crystal and shows me Sarah. She is sitting completely still, staring at her bedroom wall. I can tell it is hers because I can see the Cats and Evita posters. One of the few things she never took down, Mommy and Daddy say. I can see she has tears on her cheeks. Jareth sucks in a breath and I wonder what's wrong. Why does he care if she looks sad? Suddenly I am angry.

"NO! I don't want to see anymore. GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAAAYYY!!!" I beat out at him with my fists, and he vanishes like smoke. The nurse comes into the room, whispering something soothing, but I don't hear. I don't care. I just want him to GO AWAY. She sticks me with a needle and within seconds I am calm again, unable to move. But I'm still crying.

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I never knew the child would react so poorly to the assylum. Brownholm, I believe it is. He is going mad within its walls and I'm not even helping him. I go to see Sarah to calm me down. I land on a branch outside her window and peer through the sheer curtains. She is curled on her bed, that ridiculous bear Lancelot cuddled to her. Tear tracks are still fresh on her cheeks. I know she is worried for her little brother, Toby. But now she sleeps, so it is safe. I carefully unlatch her window and enter, changing back to my true form, my shoulderblades sore as they always are from absorbing the wings. I sit beside her on her bed and stroke her hair. She murmers in her sleep and rolls over, more towards me. I feel my heart clench asI look at her face in the moonlight, pale and perfect, dark eyelashes resting on the porcelein cheeks. The flutter slightly. I sigh and lean down to kiss the slightly parted soft red lips. As soon as I make contact her eyes snap open and she gasps, and I take the opportunity to slip my tongue in. She reponds, just as she always does, with surprising passion, and I have to pull away before I lose control.

"Sarah," I breathe, quietly. She sits up.

"Jareth. I keep dreaming you come, like I am now. Is it because of Toby? Oh, poor Toby...You've driven him mad, you know. Those stories that I used to tell him made his imagination run wild. It's my fault entirely that he's in there. Now he believes that You're real, the Labyrinth is real. When it isn't." Her lower lip trembles and I can see she's holding back tears. She believes that she never ran the Labyrinth. That Toby isn't actually one of mine: a goblin.

"What makes you say we're not real?" I ask her. Sarah just looks at me with those green, green eyes.

"You can't be. Nobody so perfect can ever exist." She massages bruises on her wrists that I haven't noticed until now. "I now know this." I feel my face stiffen into that cold mask I wear when I try to control my temper.

"Who did that to you?" I ask. Sarah sighs and moves to cover them up, but I stop her, holding her wrists in my hands. "Who?"

"My boyfriend. He...well, he just got very angry when I wouldn't...wouldn't...you know. I was too worried for Toby." I gaze at her openmouthed. How could I not have known. I draw her into my arms as gently as I can. How can anybody, ANYBODY do that to Sarah? I am filled with a cold, seething fury, and I detatch myself. It is time to fly again, time to teach this...BOY what happens when he trifles with my love. I cast a sleep-spell over Sarah and fly out the window. In the morning, she'll remember this as naught but a dream.

**AN: Well...another plot twist!**


	3. A single feather

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: And another chapter. Why? because I can and I want to. So there.**

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I look into my crystal, find out when it was that that...BASTARD hurt her. I see him talking to her, and I am furious at the desire I see on his face, written all over his neanderthal features. NO! I watch him grab her wrists, force her down, see him strike her, once, twice, thrice across the face. Tears in her eyes as he moves in to kiss her, then moves for her shirt. She makes a fist and punches him and when he leans back she throws herself at the door and run as quickly as she can. I see where the apartment is, which room number, where he sleeps. It's time for me to repay this fool who dared harm my Sarah.

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This morning I got the most horrible news. Mark was killed last night in his home, seemingly by some kind of animal. The police think it was a bird, for they found scratches all over his body and a single white feather beside him. When they told me this, the image of that white barn owl I always see jumped into my head, but I dismissed it as a fancy. It must be some crazy person who wants to be a bird or something. I am terribly upset over the whole thing, but I can't bring myself to cry. He was so cruel, but he didn't deserve to die. I'll go to visit Toby today, maybe that will help. Oh, God, Toby...I feel so awful for him, and his imagination. It's so vivid it's almost real for him. Sometimes I can almost see Jareth when he talkes about him. But I know it isn't true. It just can't be.

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"He's been pretty good today. Not a single mention of any goblin or anything. Isn't that nice, Miss Williams? He might just be getting over this little...problem, don't you think?" The friendly nurse smiled as she let Sarah in to see her brother. He was curled up on the bed reading a children's edition of Gulliver's Travels. It had been one of Sarah's when she had been young, and he had apparently developed the same voracious appetite for books. He looked up and smiled at her, the sun from the window far above turning his blonde hair into a halo.

"Sarah!" He cried happily and threw himself at her. She bent down and rumpled his hair.

"Hey, kiddo, how are you doing?" She asked grinning at the eight-year-old. "I've got something for you," She said, and slowly brought out a peach from behind her back. He had ALWAYS loved peaches for some strange reason. Most children liked sweets or ice-cream, but Toby had a yearning for peaches. He giggled and took it, bit into it, let the juice trickle down his chin.

"Thanks, Sarah!" He swallowed and wiped the juice from his chin. "You always know how to cheer me up." He sat down again and concentrated on eating his peach. When he was done he looked back up at her. "When can I go home?" He asked.

"I don't know Toby. The doctors say maybe in two more weeks, if you stay as good as you've been for these past few days. They're really proud of you, bro." She said. Toby sighed heavily.

"I hate it hear, Sarah. All we ever do is test me, see if I'm really messed up or if it's just an overactive imagination. Do you think I'm messed up?" He looked up at her, true apprehension in his bright blue eyes. Sarah's heart lurched: _Jesus, he was only eight years old!_ She sat beside him.

"Well, I don't think you're really messed up, Toby. I just think you're weird." She grinned and poked his stomach.

"Meanie!" He shrieked, giggling. Suddenly his face went white as he looked over her shoulder. "No, go away. I TOLD you to go away! I don't want to see you anymore," he said angrily. Sarah turned quickly.

"Toby, there's nobod-" She stopped and let her mouth hang open. Her heart beat a quick staccatto in her ears. For just a moment, she had seen HIM. She knew it. She recognized his hair, his eyes, that beautiful bone structure, the amulet. Hell, even the stance was as farmiliar as her own. "That's so...impossible. How...?" She shook her head. _It wasn't possible. And yet he was CERTAINLY there._

**AN: Well, does she believe or not? You decide until I come out with another chapter.**


	4. Your eyes

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: Sorry for not writing in so long. Busy busy bumblebee...**

A single feather. All they found at Mark's place was a single feather. White, brown. Barn owl, they think it is. So what psycho is going to run around and drop owl feathers on the floor after he kills people? And why Mark? Sure he was violent and hurtful, but nobody really deserves to just die. He could have gotten better!

An owl feather. Could it be...?

No. It isn't him. That whole experience was nothing more than a dream, brought on by that riidiculous book I always read. But why did I see him there when I visited Toby at Brownholm? Is it just that Toby's imagination is rubbing off on me or is it that he's really truly there? Why involve Toby? My god, if he's real...how angry he must be.

How much he must want revenge.

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She's beginning to put two and two together and coming up with five. She knows that something doesn't add up. I can tell, just by that expression on her face. I don't even really need my crystal anymore. I decide to go and visit dear Toby again. It's rather funny, I think, that I've developed such a liking for the child. I recall in the beginning, all that whining and crying in the castle, how I just wanted to wish him back. But if I had done that then Sarah would have left, and I just couldn't let her go. Not without her knowing. But she turned me down, she shamed me, brought down my Labyrinth. So I will make her hurt, make her worry, make her wonder. Then I'll take her Underground with me, to be mine until the world falls down. But maybe I'll take her brother too. _He's a lively little chap. I think I'll call him Jareth: he's got my eyes. _My eyes...of course! My eyes!

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Jareth came again today. Asked me when Sarah was going to visit again. I kept my mouth shut tight, just like I always do when he asks me about Sarah. I'm a big boy now, I understand why he wants to hear about Sarah. He wants her. He loves her and hates her at the same time. It's weird and creepy, but I know it's true. The Goblin King sighs as I turn away.

"It looks like you're not going to cooperate today, Toby," he says softly, "I wonder why? Is it that you don't like my company? Maybe I'll just take your sister with me rather than watching her and making sure that she's okay." I'm scared suddenly, becasue he sounds so serious. Sarah can't go with him! She has to stay here. I grab his cloak.

"Wait!" I say. "Wait, she's coming today at two o'clock. Today. Please let her stay here, please let her stay with me, Goblin King, please please PLEASE don't take her away!" He smiles and I know that I've just done something. Right or wrong I don't know which.

"Very well, Toby," he says and crouches, staring into my eyes. "There's one more thing I'm going to need you to do, and that is to simply...be my eyes today. Can you do that?" I blink and suddenly the world looks dfferent. Brighter, but still with more depths. The shadows are deeper, the outlines of things clearer. I nod stupidly. Jareth smiles again. "Good boy, Toby. That's a good little chap." He melts back into the shadows.

Sarah was led into Toby's cell by the guard. His back was once more turned to her, coloring in a Muppets coloring book. She smiled happily. _One more week, _she remembered. _One more week and he can come home. After eight months, he can finally come home! _She took a step forward.

"Toby? Honey?" She put a hand on his back. "I have some great news, bro. Guess what?"

"What?" Toby asked. Sarah was alarmed by how dull, toneless, even lifeless her little brother's voice had become.

"You can come home in another week!" She exclaimed happily. Toby turned swiftly to face her, joy lighting up his chubby face into that worthy of a cherub.

"Really? REALLY? Yessss!" He jumped up and hugged his sister tightly, but was surprised when she flinched back, staring wildly at him. "What's'a matter, Sarah?"

She knelt in front of him, terror etching itself plainly in her face. "Toby, your eyes...when did your eyes get like that?" Toby frowned.

"Like what?" He asked confusedly. Sarah wordlessly pulled out a compact mirror, and held it up for him to see. He grabbed it and stared into his eyes. A stranger stared back, one eye blue and the other brown and hugely dialated. Fae eyes. _His eyes._

"They're...they're his. They're Jareth's..." Sarah mumbled and promptly passed out.

**AN: SOOOO sorry for not writing in so long. I just kept having things to do...I'm working on three shows at the moment, but one will be over today. Cross your fingers for me!**


	5. An Understanding

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: Well, we didn't win anything this year either, but its all good. We weren't looking to win, just to have fun. And boy oh boy did we...It was loads of fun. If any of you sing, you understand what I mean. Well, on with the fanfic.**

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It was almost funny to see the look on Sarah's face when she looked into my eyes. I snickered a little bit in my shadowy corner. But when she fainted...I couldn't just stand by. I still need her, and I thought that I had really hurt her. Mentally. I honestly don't know if she could have handled it. It was a mistake though. She saw me.

I rushed over to her when she collapsed, kneeling by her side. Toby didn't even flinch from me, he was so scared for his sister. I picked up her head, checked her heart. Mortals are so very fragile I was well and truly terrified that her heart had failed from shock or something to the same effect. But no, she opened those beautiful green eyes, stared directly into my face. First terror then amazement then fury crossed her face. She reached up and touched my face, and it was all I could do not to lean into that one touch.

"You...you're real. It is you." She was beginning to blush, realizing what a vulnerable position she was in. "Why didn't you say anything? Why did you never show yourself? I always thought you were just a dream...but here you are, and I..."Her eyes filled with tears. "Why are you here now?" My heart hurt horribly to see her so upset, but I kept that cold mask on my face. I didn't want her to think I cared at all.

"There was no cause to show myself to you," I said truthfully, letting some bitterness creep into my voice. "You didn't care either. That was made clear when you refused me, Sarah." I saw confusion in her eyes. True confusion, and suddenly I wondered if she truly comprehended what she had done.

"Refused you? What do you mean?" She asked in a small voice. I gritted my teeth and raised her back to her feet. She looked at me expectantly, her hand warm on my shoulder. "What do you mean, Jareth?" I couldn't tell her, I just couldn't! I am a coward. Such a coward. I stepped back and took myself back to my castle, away from answering her. Away from her in general. And now here I sit, torn between taking her here NOW and waiting just a little bit longer. That confusion in her eyes has made me stop and think, and I wonder now if anger and bitterness are the right emotions.

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Sarah knows now. She knows I wasn't lying, or playing pretend or just making fun of her. Or crazy. She stared at the spot where the Goblin King had once stood, and watched the glitter twirl in the air. There were tears in her eyes, which confused me. How had they met? Why was she sad to see him? Why did he want to see her? Randomly, I thought of that story Jareth had told me just a few years ago about the girl and his Labyrinth. Could SARAH be that girl?

She left a few minutes later, still crying silently, and all my joy over my release was gone in confusion and fear. What will happen when I leave Brownholm? What will Jareth do? I think for a little while. Help Sarah...AH! I have it! I rush to the cell door.

"He's here again, he's here he's here! He's trying to make me listen to him, and he's twirling those spheres around again. Make him go away!" I scream, pounding at the door. The nurses rush in, those horrible needles dripping medicine that they inject into me to make me sleep. I will lie if I must to keep my sister safe. Because I love my sister and she loves me.

FIVE YEARS PASS...

Five years. I have been in this damned cell for five years, and I have "hallucinated" almost every day for all those five years. Oh, Jareth still comes to me, occasionally. He is furious that I have slowed his plans to steal away my sister, that I was smart enough to understand. When he comes, he always tries to wheedle me into having a miraculous recovery, to pretend that I no longer believe in him. He wants me to go home.

Guess what, buddy: it's opposite day. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do the opposite. And that's just how it's going to be from now on.

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I don't understand how he figured it out. I gave no hints, and Sarah never told him anything. Not ONE single thing. And yet...he understood. He understood my affections, and my plans, and Sarah's involvement in my world. He's just a smart kid. Teenager, now. He's now only three years younger than Sarah was when she ran my Labyrinth. Sarah...she's grown even more beautiful in these last few years. Just as I always knew she would be. But unfortunately for her (and this is mostly due to me and my own involvement) she doesn't tend to have very good luck with men. They all have an unfortunate tendancy to run or get hurt. It's a pity, that. But no matter. It means only that Sarah will always be what she was always meant to be:

Mine.

**AN: So...there we go.**


	6. Fake

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: I'm writing. The story is a Lad Insane. That is all I can say for right now.**

I stare up at my ceiling, my freshly painted nails carefully splayed out so that they won't smear. I have a date tonight with this guy- Jack- that I met at work. When I entered the school for the arts, I had originally planned to get a degree and then do part-time jobs for a couple of years. But then a casting director came in and cast me as the lead in one of his shows. For the past two years now, I have been kept so busy its a wonder I have time for anything, let alone men. Not that it matters. They all seem to just...I don't know, not stick around, either by choice or accident.

Sometimes I suspect He's still here, watching over me. I feel eyes on me every time I move, hear his voice in my dreams. I know it was him that day at Brownholm. I hate him even more now, now that Toby has had to spend the last five years in that damned asylum. It's all Jareth's fault. I stand and walk over to my mirror. I don't look half bad tonight. I've straightened my hair a little bit, and it glints red in the light. I even put on a little bit of makeup, green to make my eyes glow. The doorbell rings, and I rush down the stairs to get it. Yes, I know, it's kind of pathetic that I still live with my parents, even at twenty-five. But if Toby comes home, I want to be there for him. For at least a year or so. I yank open the door, expecting to see Jeff- no, wait, Jack's- tousled dark hair and perpetually surprised looking eyes staring at me, but instead get a thin, tweedy elderly doctor. The label on his vest reads "Dr. Meltik" and over that is the crude figure of a bird: the Brownholm Asylum's logo. I step back slowly.

"Yes, what is it?" I ask. He steps slowly forward.

"Miss Williams? I'm Doctor Meltik, from the Brownholm Asylum. Are your parents around?" He asked. His voice was as reedy as his frame.

"No, they're not. They're on holiday in Europe. Why?" He takes off enormous glasses and polishes them on his vest, settles them back on the bridge of his thin nose.

"It's about your brother-" My heart is drenched in fear. What has happened to Toby?

"Is Toby...is he worse?" I ask faintly. The doctor shakes his head and my heart eases just a little bit. "Then what?"

"May I come in?" He askes. I nod and step aside, closing the door after him. He uses far too much cologne, and it permeates the entire room as he walks. I hold my breath. "Miss Williams, would Toby have any cause to...feign insanity?" He askes after a long moment. I am stunned and can hardly speak.

"No, not that I know of."

"Are you sure?" I just look at him, like No, I'm not sure. It's not like he's my brother or anything. He understands my look. "Well, you see, he is lying about this...Goblin King. He no longer sees him, but only pretends to." The world spins for a moment, and the next few words are lost to me. Pretending? Did Jareth leave for good? "...will have to release him. To make room for others, you see."

"Yes, yes of course," I say. Then I realize what has just occured and I jump a little bit. "He can come home? Really?" It sounds almost exactly like his words five years ago, just before I saw...His eyes. The doctor nods.

"Now, if you'll excuse me...business calls." He lets himself out, carefully shutting the door behind him. I sit and ponder Toby's supposed affliction. Why lie? Does he not want to come home? Or...or is there another reason?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I made that foolish doctor sign the release forms for Toby Williams. He cannot be readmitted unless he kills, and while Toby is determined, he'll not go so far as to take the life of another. He will be released from the Brownholm insane Asylum tomorrow at three o'clock, and by thirteen o'clock, Sarah will be at my side: in the Underground.

**AN: Dum dah dum dum DUUUUM!! What will happen next? Gee, I wish I knew myself. That might make writing it a whole heckuva lot easier.**


	7. Home again home again

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: I'm writing. Again. Surprise!!**

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I just...I can't believe it. Why am I being released? Over all these years, I've seen him, seen the Goblin King, told everybody his full description and about our conversations. Clearly, I'm a crazy. But I'm STILL being released! What the hell...?

It's him. HIM, I know it is. He's done this. Somehow or another, he's...confounded Dr. Meltik to let me go. What sort of a madman lets a madman walk? It cannot be of Dr. Meltik's own accord. He's just a puppet on Jareth's strings. I HAVE to stop this, I just have to. But the only way to get out of this is to kill someone, and that's not something I can do. But if I don't, Sarah will be taken. But now that I think about it, will Sarah mind being taken? He loves her, does she love him? I can't ask her because she's always been adamant that we not talk about her... no, our time in the Labyrinth. She just can't. At three o'clock, I walk today. What then will happen? What then?

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I watch the clock on Sarah's wall. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Mortal clocks are so strange not to have thirteen hours but only twelve. It makes their days so much shorter, their lives so much shorter. Our way is better. Mortals are inferior in every way.

One. Two. Two and a quarter. Half past two. A quarter to three...I bite my lip in anticipation. Ten minutes until Toby returns, ten minutes more. Then only a few hours. But oh, time seems to crawl! Three o'clock. I switch to owl form and fly to the hospital where I see Toby is getting into the van, Sarah at the driver's seat. His face is pale, shining with sweat, and he peers through all the windows, goes rigid when he sees me. He points, but I make myself dim. Oh, invisibility is possible, of course, but such a bore. Dimness makes mortals not sure. Ever so much more fun. Sarah clutches the wheel and drives, knowing for sure that I am near. Oh, she knows, she does she does she does. She's aware of my presence, has been for the past five years. Just won't admit the attraction. She'll not admit it unless I admit it first.

But I'll change all that. Before I'm done, she'll admit it: she'll admit she loves me.

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He's here he's here he's here...every atom of my being screams it. HE's here, beside me behind me in front of me without me within me. He's here and there and not. It is an impossible feeling, dread mixed with anticipation mixed with horror mixed with exhilaration. I try to squelch these feelings and instead wonder why he did not simply get me when Toby was in Brownholm? Does he somehow need Toby? I worry at my lip with my teeth and I taste my own salty blood. I pull up to the house and Toby slowly climbs out. I see Mrs. Ludingson, our next-door neighbor peering out from her curtains, but she shuts them quickly when she sees I'm watching her. They're all staring, I know. _The little crazy boy is back. Do you remember what a sweet child...? Oh, a pity, that. Quite a shame. Still, good gossip, isn't it? _

I escort him to the door, open it. He hasn't said a word since he pointed to an owl that neither of us was quite sure was there. His face is more drawn than any thirteen-year-old's should be, and he walks slowly and cautiously, still unsure of where to go and what to do. Mom and Dad are still vacationing, weren't able to get a flight back. Something about bad weather just over where they're staying that won't move. Very strange indeed, I muse to myself, and feel that impossible feeling grow to fill me. Toby sits down and just stares at a wall.

"Toby?" I ask tentatively. "You hungry?" He nods slightly. "D'you want mac n' cheese?" Mac n' cheese is his favorite (just like Jareth-Newton!) but he still just barely responds with a nod of his head. I busy myself cooking the noodles, making the sauce. Homemade mac n' cheese. I set it down in front of him and he eats mechanically, still not looking anywhere but the wall.

Hours pass. Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine-

A rap comes at the door, sharp, and staccattoed. Toby and I look at each other, both knowing that we need not answer this call. He will come to us. The door swings slowly open and we hear footsteps, light but purposeful, tapping towards us. Heeled boots, we know. We see a shadow first, long, dark, elegant. The He comes into view, tall, pale, beautiful. Ominous.

"Hello, Sarah. Toby." Jareth sits down at the table and crosses those legs in a single fluid motion. "Lovely, now we can discuss things like true, serious adults."

"What Things?" Toby speaks finally. Jareth looks at him with a mock expression of surprise.

"Oh, dear boy, many things. How you now belong to me because your sister wished you away. How you two can make a switch if you wish. Or..." His expression turns dark, "how things can go horribly...awry."

**AN: Another chapter fiiiniiished. And another successful reheeaaarsaaaal...**


	8. Bitter tea

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: So very very VERY sorry I haven't written in so long. Finals are coming up, plus I've had auditions and rehearsals left right center and diagonal, so...I've been rather busy. I beg your forgiveness...!**

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Silence in the room heralded Jareth's casual words. The Fae King stood tall and regal, tight black trousers contrasting sharply with the shimmering blue of the loose poet's shirt and cloak. The moon-shaped amulet hung around his neck, glinting in the light. Toby stood from the table.

"You have no power over me, Jareth." He intoned, lifting his chin bravely. Jareth just chuckled and snapped his fingers.

"Sit down, boy," He commanded, and against his will, Toby sat down hard in his chair. Sarah raised herself slowly.

"Toby does not belong to you. I won him from you when I beat you, remember? Or is your memory so bad? Or have you just erased your defeat from your mind?" She snapped at him. Fire flickered in Jareth's eyes alongside with amusement. He smirked.

"Oh, he is indeed mine, dear. I gave you thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth, yet I was not in owl form until AFTER the clock began to chime. You did defeat me, but not in time. Toby is now mine, and I can claim him whenever I want." Jareth sat at the table, chin tilted arrogantly, legs thrown carelessly across one another and still the very picture of elegance.

"But you...he...that's not fair!" Sarah shrilled. She instantly regretted her words, and held up a hand to ward off Jareth's chiding. "I know, I know. But it's true, and you know it!"

"Nevertheless, it is how it is." A sudden thought struck Sarah.

"How are you even here?" She asked wonderingly. "Shouldn't you be, like, trapped in the Underground or something?"

"Ahhh, I was wondering when you would ask, my clever girl," he smiled, and Sarah was unnerved by how disturbingly beautiful he was, even with his vaugely sharp canines. The smile was feral but still held a touch of playful warmth. It was enchanting to say the least. "Toby provided me with an anchor to this world, one that will hold until..." he checked the clock on the mantle. "Why, my goodness, is that the time? Well, say your goodbyes dear. He has another four hours left in this world before he becomes mine. Forever."

_Your baby brother becomes one of us...forever...forever...forever...such a pity. _

"NO!" She gasped angrilly, and reached for him. "Toby WON'T go with you! Not after YOU'VE kept him away for these past five years, and kept him believing that even he was crazy! I won him back, I beat you I beat you, I BEAT YOU, DAMMIT!" Tears of helpless rage and frustration leaked down her cheeks as she held her little brother close. Jareth held up his gloved hands in a "whoa nelly" signal and continued to smirk.

"Well, I see that you are adverse to that bargain. How about another, hmm?" Sarah looked at him sharply.

"What do you mean?" Jareth rolled his eyes.

"What do you think I mean, love? You for your brother. I must admit that I want you far more than I want him, although he would make a splendid goblin. No, Sarah, the Underground needs you. Wants you." Sarah raised her eyebrows.

"Why not make this bargain before?" She asked, stalling for time.

"Brownholm," Jareth explained simply, "is a Null field. It means no magic, goblin or otherwise, can penetrate it, and Toby has lingering vestiges of the Null up until-" he checked the clock again "3 hours and forty-five minutes from now. After that, he becomes goblin in the Underground. Also, while I could enter and exit the Null field, I could not influence bargains of the magical sort, so...here we are now. And the clock is still ticking, Sarah. I give you the next two hours to decide whether you will be so heartless as to wish away your brother AGAIN or...come with me and stay with me. Forever, mind you. No going back." Jareth sat down in a free chair. "Now, you wouldn't happen to have tea or anything of the sort, would you? I am simply parched."

Sarah looked at Toby. Toby looked at Sarah. Sarah slowly let go of her brother and rose.

"I'll put some water on to boil." Jareth tapped the whip against his leg thoughtfully.

"While I'm here, why don't we discuss some things, hmm? the three of us. Since Toby is now adult enough to understand what happened all those years ago." Toby nodded.

"I know those stories you told me were true. They were about you, and about how Sarah wished me away. But she didn't really REALLy mean it. I know that. Sarah loves me. You will never be able to make me hate Sarah, Goblin King, no matter what you do or say." Jareth chuckled.

"You sound EXACTLY like your sister did when she ran the Labyrinth. Cheeky, strong, clever...also very foolish. I can do anything I want, dear boy, and that includes making you hate your sister." Toby's cheeks turned red.

"Well, you won't hurt her. You love her too much." Sarah gasped as she poured boiling water on her hand. Jareth clenched his teeth and glared at the younger boy.

"Oh, well I suppose you found me out there, Toby. I did love your sister very VERY much." He didn't turn to look at Sarah, who by this point was simply going through the motions of making a cup of tea for the Goblin King. She handed him the cup. "But she threw away everything I ever offered her: my love, my heart. Even the Underground." He turned to the furious girl. "You forgot to put the tea in, love. That's a crucial part of the beverage." She grabbed the steaming mug of hot water back from him and furiously tossed a bag of Earl Gray tea in.

"Jareth, I was fifteen. How was I to KNOW what you were offering me? I was scared, I was terrified you were going to keep my baby brother. How was I to listen to cryptic hints of love?"

"Not just love, Sarah, Marriage! I was talking about marrying you when you refused me, shattered the Escher Room that I so lovingly created for you. I was prepared to give up EVERYTHING for you and you threw down the crystal and almost killed the Labyrith!" He had risen and was beginning to shout. "You have NO idea how close..." He cut off abruptly and sat back down. "Thank you for the tea."

Sarah felt tears once more staining her cheeks. "How close what, Jareth? How close what?" She whispered. Jareth refused to look at her. "Jareth, what did you...?" He stood back up and yanked off the glove of his right hand. Along the inside of his white wrist was a long, shiny scar. "Oh, god..."

"I don't take well to refusal. Especially when its from someone I love as much as I loved you," He pulled the glove back on and lowered himself to a seat. "But that doesn't really matter anymore. What's done is done and cannot be undone." He raised the cup of tea to his lips and took a sip. He grimaced. "It's rather bitter."

**AN: Poor Jareth... What WILL our dear heroine decide? Well, we shall soon see...**


	9. Crystal view

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: I shall continue writing this story. I haven't really felt inspiration in a long time, but I started writing some poetry yesterday in a sketchbook of mine and I suddenly felt like I needed to continue the fanfiction. So I am. To all of you frustrated lovers out there, this one goes out to you. Its a shot of what happened directly after the Sarah left the Labyrinth. **

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"How did that happen, Jareth?" Sarah asked furiously. "What did you do? Why?" Jareth said nothing, but continued to drink the bitter tea. "Jareth, tell me right now." Jareth rolled his eyes and conjured up a crystal, tossing it to her. She looked at him cautiously, then looked into its clear depths. Slowly, an image began to form, along with a feeling of something gnawing at her heart. She stared at the scene, remembering the Escher Room...

OOOOO

Jareth stood in the ruined room of many directions. The stairs had all crumbled, and their platforms began to crash down. He was numb, completely and totally numb. Sarah...his Sarah...refused him, refused him, refused him. She was gone. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver medallion set with a crystal sphere. Around the edges were etched parts of his Labyrinth: stone, hedges, forests. The crystal in the center held a single white feather. One of his own. If Sarah were to hold the crystal in her hand, the crystal would sing to her with Jareth's deep sultry voice.

_There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes,_

_A Kind of pale jewel open and closed within your eyes_

_I'll place the skies within your eyes..._

But Sarah would never hold the crystal. The medallion was what amounted to an engadgement ring in the Aboveground. Made by Jareth for specifically Sarah. But that had all come to nothing. She had refused him, refused him refused him refused him... Jareth cried out in fury, in sorrow. Anguish that was felt by the whole Underground in that one moment.

He teleported himself to his bedchamber, sat on the broad silken bed that hung suspended in the air. He clutched the medallion to his breast, the sides of the silver cutting into his palm, the red of his blood running in rivulets through the etchings, staining them scarlet. He felt himself falling, falling falling...

"Maesteer..." A voice hissed from his side, days or weeks, or maybe just hours later. It was his aid, Blix. Jareth stared at the stars through the crystal of his ceiling. "Maester, we need youu...zhe Onderground is fahling apaert...Maejesty, pleassee..." Blix's small, muddy eyes stared at him in worry, "Foregeht the mourtal gierl. She caeyers not at all for youu. But weee dou...We need you, maejesty, pleasse...zhe Onderground is tieyed to you, and ief you dount help, noo one caen." Jareth pretended not to hear the pitiful words of him advisor, who scratched gently at his outstretched palm. Eventually he went away, probably to do the best he could himself. Blix was a smart goblin: Jareth had taught him himself about the underground and its subtleties. Not that it mattered now.

More time passed, how much he didn't know. When he came to, he still clutched the medallion, and its edges had cut into his palm. Cut... He slowly raised himself to one elbow, but was too weak to further stand. He switched the medallion to his left hand and cut deeply into the vein in his wrist, watching numbly as the blood flowed down his arm. He fell back, exhausted but satisfied.

"Sarah," he murmered, "I will always love you." Before his ebbing vision, a goblin scuttled into the room. Blix.

"Maester, maester, no!" He screeched. Jareth just smiled at Blix before he let the darkness claim him.

OOOO

Sarah set the crystal down slowly. "Jesus, Jareth..." The Goblin King had finished his tea. And looked back at her.

"When I resurfaced, Blix was there, and had used his magic to stop the bleeding and heal the cut as best he could. But since I did it myself with fae silver, well, the scar will never go away. You see, I put Iron in the silver, which is deadly to all the Fae. I'm amazed Blix was able to stop it in time. A little appalled, too. But, I suppose things work out for the best, don't they my dear? For here I am, and here you are. And I hope you're ready to make your decision." Sarah glanced back at the clock. It was true: Two hours had gone by as she had beheld the havoc she had caused by saying no.

"I'm so sorry, Jareth. Truly, I didn't know what you offered..." She wiped the tears away from her face. "I have made my decision."

**AN: So now you have to wait for her decision. bwahahahahaha! I'm eeevilll... and all you who are thinking "Wow, Jareth-Newton is one sick puppy-" well, yes, it's true I am a sick puppy. But I don't enjoy thinking about people committing suicide. I'm not psychotic. So... until next time!**


	10. A Decision

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN:So I just put up another fanfic-Heart's Dark Cry. It's a Legend fanfic...yeah. Anyway, on to Sarah's decision. Although I think we all kinda know what she's gonna decide, don't we?**

Jareth stared steadily into Sarah's green eyes. "And what is your decision, pet?" He asked softly. Sarah looked at Toby, who through the entire story had remained silent.

"I can't let my little brother go. Daddy and his mommy need him, while they already know I'm going to move out. So...I will go with you," She said. Jareth smiled and reached out his hand. "But on one condition."

"What? I reserve the right to refuse it, you know." He replied.

"I will be able to see my family once a year, and send them letters whenever I please. Deal?" Sarah asked warily. Jareth stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Two letters a month. Its very difficult to transport non-living objects from the Underground to Above."

"Right. That's fine, I guess. So..." Sarah stood busily, taking Jareth's empty cup from him and rinsing it out. "I guess that's that then. When should we go?" She bit back tears as she realized that this was it: she was really leaving.

"Ten minutes. I'll give you and your brother some time alone." The Goblin King vanished in a puff of glitter, leaving Toby and Sarah silently staring at each other. Toby stood slowly and put his arms around her, and was dismayed to realize that tears were soaking his sister's shirt. His tears. He sniffed.

"I hate him. I hate him so much, Sarah." Sarah laughed quietly.

"I felt that way too, Toby. He's just kind of...gruff." She thought for a moment. "No, very gruff. And arrogant. And insensitive. But I think he means well." Suddenly, the tears overflowed. "I'll miss you so much, Toby. Like...you have no idea how much, buddy." The siblings clung together for what seemed like ages.

"I'll make him let you go, I swear it," Toby vowed when they broke apart. Sarah shook her head.

"Don't you DARE do anything stupid, you hear me? You be stupid and I'll...I'll...!" She hugged him fiercely again.

"Are you ready yet, dear?" Jareth asked lazily. Toby and Sarah jumped at his sudden entrance.

"Do I need to bring anything?" Sarah asked, wiping away all evidence of tears.

"Just your own lovely self, Sarah," Jareth said and extended one gloved hand. "We'll be off then, mmm?" Sarah reluctantly took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled into his warm embrace. "Farewell, Toby. I daresay I'll see you again." The world spun and dove in glittering whorls as the pair were transported to the Underground. Sarah fell to her knees, skinning them on rough stone. Jareth reached a hand down and helped her up.

"Where are we?" She asked breathlessly, dizzy from the hectic travel.

"Home," Jareth replied simply, and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. They walked down a long stone corridor, interspersed with huge wooden doors and small windows, flaming torches lighting their way through the dark passage. Sareh paused and peered out into the dark. Beyond a small village and a low gate lay a junkyard. And beyond that junkyard stretched a structure that she had run through her dreams for past years. The Labyrinth.

"My God," Sarah breathed. Jareth smiled indulgently.

"Just as you remember it?" He asked sweetly. Sarah's knees felt weak and she collapsed to the floor. Memories washed over her: the Bog, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, the forest, the entrance...The Labyrinth. She gasped for breath, clutching at her chest as her heart struggled to beat its way out.

"I don't...I don't believe it!" She gasped. "It was real! you were real! How did I ever think it was a dream?" She stared up into Jareth's two-toned eyes and felt shameful tears once more pouring down her face. "I'm back!"

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Toby sat and stared at the kitchen wall, his hand on Sarah's chair. The mac n' cheese was still warm in the pot on the stove, but he couldn't even bear to think of eating anymore. Sarah was gone. Oh, sure, she'd come back once a year, and write twice a month. But that wasn't the same thing. His fists clenched.

She was also with HIM. HE was the one that had taken away his time with his parents, HE was the one who ha made even Toby believe himself to be crazy. It was all that damned fae's fault.

"I will get you back, Sarah," Toby said determinedly. "And I'll DESTROY you, Goblin King!"

**AN: Oooh, what's Toby gonna do now? Wait for the next chapter, and you'll know!**


	11. A Villain

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN:I'm talking to my best friend right now on the phone. WOw...I'm a multitasker. I'm typing, chewing gum and talking on the phone...wow...okay. Well todlay, we're gonna take a look at some other people in the Underground. Here we go...Okay, the VVV's stand for Vandilon.**

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Vandilon stared into the dark crystal at the blonde teenager, smirking at the boy's thunderous expression as various thoughts of revenge on the Goblin King flittered through his mind. It was always a good thing when someone else was willing to do Vandilon's dirty work for him, he reflected. He vanished the crystal and stretched luxuriously, flicking silky dark hair out of darker eyes and stepped off the throne on to the floor. His Blixions slithered out of his way sinuously, indistinct body parts melding into each other. The lord of Etynad smiled, candlight flickering off of his white, sharp canines and he started singing to himself as he made his way to his bedchamber for a long-needed rest.

_Oh what a beautiful evening, oh what a beautiful night..._

_I've got an Underground feeling, everything's turning out right..._

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Sarah woke to find herself in a cozy room with a small wooden bed and forest green sheets, made out of a warm cotten-like material. She sat up slowly, not knowing where she was for a moment, but the day's events all came back in a rush when she saw the willowy fae standing at the window, staring out at a landscape she recalled like it had only been yesterday.

She was Underground.

Jareth turned to look at her, evening light casting sharp shadows on his aristocratic features. He didn't look sinister, exactly but...very imposing, like the principal that has on several occasions been nicer than you know you deserve. She slid out of bed, only slightly self-concious in the dark green pajamas that had been provided. The Goblin King smiled at her.

"I personally thought a light, short nightgown would have suited you better in this weather," he said sweetly, "but I see I was wrong. That green is a lovely color on you, and the nightdresses I had thought of would have been all too revealing. For now." Sarah blushed and checked to make sure that all the closures were done and in the right spaces. Jareth chuckled. "Sarah, I won't try anything at this moment. I just want you to understand what your role will be to the Underground. To me." He stepped forward and placed a hand on the back of her head, two-toned eyes boring into hers as he leaned in closer and closer.

"Was it truly you who...got rid of Mark?" She asked when he was just a hair's breadth away. He sighed, and she tasted his breath. It was like a summer's breeze that carried the scent of flowers on it.

"It was." He admitted. Sarah smiled at him a little bit.

"Is he dead?" She asked. Jareth drew back slowly, his searing gaze becoming almost ashamed as he nodded wordlessly. Sarah shook her head. "Why?"

"Because I will not allow anyone to hurt what is mine," he replied softly. Sarah stiffened.

"Yours? YOURS? Oh, boyo, you...I am NO man's property," She snarled and pushed herself back. Jareth drew himself up to his full towering height.

"As I RECALL, my queen," he replied sarcastically bowing, "you gave yourself to me in exchange for your brother. You DO belong to me, and you always will. You are MINE...FOREVER." Sarah stared at him, his words sinking in like a leaden weight. He was right. Forever. She sank slowly to the bed.

"Oh my god..." she breathed. "You...I didn't...But..."

"Sarah, if you finish a statement, I can reply, but if you just start sentences, there's really no useful conversation we can have," Jareth said. He softened slightly at Sarah's bewildered eyes. "Dinner's at eight, so...if you wish to eat join me. You'll enjoy Underground fare, I believe. There are clothes in that closet." He left through a tall wooden door, carved with extremely lifelike leaves that even pushed out of the wood to form a handle. Sarah stared at the wall numbly. _Forever..._

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Toby slammed a fist down on the table furiously. There was no way possible to defeat the Goblin King!

"Dammit!" He yelled. "I wish that there was someone who could help me get at him!" He covered his mouth quickly; he knew the power of idly spoken wishes. The wind whipped at the windows and the china shook in the cabinets, lights flickering like some mad dance party. Then the wind was suddenly in the room, whipping his blonde hair in his face and blinding him, taking the very air from his lungs, leaving him gasping...

And it was over. In the doorway stood a man, tall and willowy as Jareth, yet somehow different: his angles were sharper, though no less aristocratic and he moved with the grace of oil sliding on top of water. His hair was long and feathered and dark, secured from his face by sheer will, a long cloak spangled with stars and throwing fire slipping noiselessly across the floor as he strode towards Toby.

"Uh..." Toby said, lost for words. "Who...um, who are you?"The man smiled.

"I am Vandilon, lord of Etynad," he replied, with a voice like honeyed steel, "and I would like very much to help you defeat the Goblin King."

**AN: Now we have a villian...**


	12. Dinner with the King

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN:So...okay then. Nothing all that interesting from my end. OOh, wait! I just went to see "Prince Caspian" last night. I think his hair is amazing, and the guy is a really good actor. Not that the hair and good acting have any connection with each other, but those are the two main points about him. Like, when he got in that fight with Peter, he still retained his dignity until Peter was like "Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people," and then you just saw all of Caspian's restraints break. Good for you, man, good for you! Thanks to everyone that reviewed, and...I hope that this trend of reviewation continues!**

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Sarah walked down the winding staircase toward where every instinct told her Jareth was. It was almost as though over the last few hours, she had become tied to him. Even now she could sense his agitation over how late she was. He was worried. Was she ill? Too frightened? Has she gone into shock? Sarah stood in front of a huge set of double doors, carved even more intricately than her own. Locating the ornate doorknob, she gave a gentle tug, and they swung silently open.

Jareth stood with his back to her before a roaring green and blue fire throwing silver sparks. Even fire was different in the Underground, Sarah reflected. The tall blonde fae, sensing her, turned swiftly, feathery hair and white feathered cloak whipping around, in danger of sweeping into the fire. His smile took her breath away.

"Sarah," he sighed happily. "So glad you could make it! How do you feel?"

"I'm not ill or too frightened, nor have I gone into shock, if that's what you're asking," Sarah replied smoothly. Jareth grimaced.

"Our link grows stronger then," he murmered to himself. "I'll have to guard my thoughts." He smiled at her, motioning as he said "I chose your wardrobe well. That color of red brings out the color of your skin. Your hair too." Sarah blushed.

"Well, thank you. You could be a fashion consultant, couldn't you?" She muttered, but Jareth could tell she was pleased. He smirked in self-satisfaction.

"Won't you sit down?" He asked, pulling out an oaken chair from the table. Surprisingly, the table itself was rather small for such a large room, but still set magnificantly, with great silver goblets and plates, and heavy looking silverware. There were several covered dishes, steaming out a delicious aroma. Sarah sat slowly, warily, but Jareth simply pushed her chair in and sat at the other end, clapping gloved hands together. Instantly, the lids on the dishes raised up and floated in midair, serving utensils rising and hovering over the food. Sarah jumped.

"What...what...WHAT?" Sarah gasped. Jareth chuckled.

"The goblins are too easily sidetracked and far too messy to serve food," He said, "so I have alternative serving options."

"Is that just your power or are there, like, invisible servents?" Sarah asked wonderingly. Jareth shook his head.

"I don't really know. I haven't really thought about that," he replied.

"Guess I'm not the only one who takes things for granted, hmm?" Sarah asked sweetly. Jareth glared at her, but visibly forced himself to calm down.

"Would you like to try some tirivole? Its quite good," he said, motioning to a thick white soup. Sarah nodded, and watched facinated as a serving utensil dipped itself in the soup and poured a ladleful into a bowl without spilling a drop. The bowl then sailed over to rest right in front of her. She looked to Jareth.

"What is it?" She asked.

"It is made with a bird similar to what you call a chicken, but its flesh has a slightly more savory flavor. Not quite so tasteless." Sarah warily took a spoon in her hand and took a small bite of the soup. She gasped. It was exactly like chicken, but it was as though somebody bumped the flavor notch up to eleven. It was delicious. Sarah tucked in with a gusto that she had never before felt at mealtime.

"Have some of our bread too. IT is lighter and still more closely packed than Human bread," Jareth urged, and a piece of bread fluttered over to her plate. She took a bite of that too, and found that he was right. Next she tried a vegetable that resembled the pea but its flavor was delicate and sweet as a pea has never before been. One strange food after another was pressed upon her, each more wonderful than the next.

Jareth smiled benevolently, feeling a warm joy that he had never felt before at seeing His Sarah so thoroughly delighted. He couldn't think of anything that he wanted to do more than make her happy. Forever.

Suddenly, there came a flash of purple in the blue-green flames and another fae stepped out of them, sparks clinging to a deep blue cloak. The new fae was tall and slender like Jareth, but his hair was far flatter, and a darker shade than the king's platinum blonde. His face, too was aristocratic, but subtly younger, the lines on his face speaking more of smiles than smirks and more of joy than sulleness. He bowed low.

"Majesty," He said in a voice that carried the sound of the wind after a storm, "I must speak with you, if I may." Jareth inclined his head.

"Speak then, Ravnan. Anything that you must say can be said in front of Sarah," He said. Ravnan's eyes flickered to Sarah in astonishment. _This was the mortal girl that had beaten the Labyrinth and stolen the king's heart? _Sarah nodded to him with as much dignity as she could muster with her mouth half-full of the delicious bread.

"Sire, Vandilon has made contact with the Aboveground." He said gravely. Jareth bolted upright.

"You are sure?" Jareth asked intensely, "Are you entirely sure that it is Vandilon?" Ravnan's head nodded slowly. Jareth sighed and passed a hand over his eyes. Sarah swallowed her bread hastily.

"Vandilon?" She asked, "Who's Vandilon?"But Jareth was already most of the way out the door. He called back over his shoulder.

"I will explain when I return. Ravnan, look after her." Ravnan bowed again as Jareth flashed out of view, gone to Aboveground to confront this new threat. Sarah sighed angrilly.

"Dammit! I HATE when he does that!" She sat back in her chair petulantly. "I don't suppose YOU could explain, could you, Mr. Ravnan?"She asked turning to the other man. He thought for a moment.

"I don't know, milady, that it is in my place to tell you everything about him, and how he and Jareth are linked," He said after a moment, "But I can tell you that he is mad, power-hungry and extrememly dangerous."

"What's so bad about him contacting the Aboveground?" Sarah asked.

"Milady..." Ravnan's blue eyes were sad, "I believe because he has contacted your brother." Sarah's breath caught.

"My...brother? Toby?" She asked softlly. Ravnan turned his head away as Sarah placed a hand over her mouth. What was going on?

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I flashed back into the Williams house, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen where Toby and Vandilon sat together, enjoying a cup of tea as they discussed what they intended to do to get back at me.

"You know talking behind someone's back is very hurtful, yes?" I asked sardonically, striding into the room. Toby glared up at me, and something was...very wrong in his blue eyes. There was a darkness there that hadn't been the day before. I turned to Vandilon. "Why are you here?"

"Toby here asked me to come," Vandilon said pleasently, taking a dainty sip of tea, pinky extended. "He offers me a chance to take back the Underground. We have agreed that neither of us want you in any position of power, and now we're discussing how to kill you, or at least get rid of you. Now you're up to date."

"What do you get out of this, Vandilon?" I asked. He smiled, but there was no warmth at all in that smile. Only sharp teeth and bad intentions.

"Oh, I'll get to rule the Underground." But something else was projected in my mind. A girl, with dark hair, and flashing eyes, caught in his embrace, struggling against his kiss. Sarah. My teeth clenched.

"No, you can't have that." Toby looked back and forth between us, knowing he was missing something. Vandilon's smirk got even more sickening. "Don't you dare, Vandilon, or there will be serious repurcussions. I will hunt you down even after I'm dead if you even think of doing that." Vandilon stood slowly, brushing out his dark cloak.

"Its too late, Kingy, dear. Best keep a good eye on your castle and its contents. Toby here, has given me his power. You know of his power, don't you, Jareth? And you would do well to be afraid of it." _Especially in my hands. _Vandilon laughed and vanished in a puff of black smoke. Toby stood and faced me.

"This is all your fault. If you just hadn't taken my sister..." But I had already left, and his words were no more than an echo. I needed to get back to my castle, to make sure that my Sarah was still there. Alive. Mine.

**AN: I don't really approve of women being looked on as possesions, but I feel like Jareth wouldn't behave any other way. That's just the way his mind works, you know? Anyway, read and review, please.**


	13. Humanity

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN:Gnnnyyyaaaghghghghgh...!! Sorry. I just felt like screaming, but I didn't wanna injure my voice. So I typed it. And you get to read it if you read the author's notes. Okay then...**

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Sarah sat twiddling her thumbs as she waited for Jareth to return, her appetite gone. What did Toby do? Why? How was he connected with this Vandilon guy? She chewed at her lower lip and finally stood to pace. Where the hell was Jareth?

"Uhmm...milady?" Ravnan asked softly. He still knelt beside the table. "Can I...may I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. Oh, you can get up if you want to. Sorry." Sarah replied, mentally kicking herself for being so wrapped up in her own problems and worries that she didn't take the time to notice someone else's discomfort. "Shoot."

"Shoot? I..I have no intention of shooting you, milady," Ravnan replied confusedly. Sarah laughed.

"Oh, no, it means 'go on and tell me,' not 'open fire.'" Ravnan's face cleared.

"Ah...I see. That is indeed a strange expression. Milady..."

"Sarah." Sarah cut him off. "My name is Sarah, not milady. It's too weird. I'm not so formal." Ravnan nodded reluctantly.

"Alright then, mi-um, Sarah. What was it like, to...vanquish lord Jareth?" Sarah was startled at the question. Ravnan continued hurriedly. "It is not my place to ask. I apoligize, I-"

"No, it's okay. It was...a very heady feeling, knowing that I had beaten him. And yet...I think I really regretted not being able to have an anchor to this world. I love Toby, but during my time here I grew to love the Underground as well. All the magic, the just...random things that make so much sense that they become confusing in their logic. And my friends..." Sarah swallowed, realizing she was rambling. Ravnan smiled a little bit.

"I was wished away once," he said. "By my big brother. Jareth gave him the same ultimatum he gave to you-dreams or run for me. Bengoldin was always more fond of his dreams than he was of me. He took the crystal and Jareth took me." Sarah stared at him openmouthed. He smiled wryly. "Home was never very much anyway. Bengoldin was set to inherit everything and so father and mother doted on him. I was always shunted to the side, into the shadows. But Jareth...even though I was just twelve years old, he treated me as an adult. Oh, I haven't thought about this in centuries!" Ravnan exclaimed reddening. "I'm sorry to bore you with...my story."

"Oh, no, don't be. It's all very interesting to me, you know? But...how old are you now?" Sarah asked Ravnan thought for a minute.

"Human years: I'm twenty-three. Fae...I don't know. Somewhere around eight hundred years?" Sarah's mouth dropped even wider. "His Majesty is at least twenty-five-hundred. Goblins are the predecessors of men, you see. King Jareth allowed a few out of the Underground through a rip in the fabric of the worlds. These goblins were to scout out what was out there. These were fae goblins, and as such had minds of their own, so rather than all coming back, some snuck their families to the aboveground and lived there. Then came the great ice, and most were reduced to scavenging, language and magics lost to them. They became Neanderthals, the unTalented fae, and then what you call evolution progressed. You yourself are a decendent of the fae." Sarah shook her head, willing all the new information to settle in her mind.

"Wow...I never thought...I mean...wow. But what is the difference between goblins and fae goblins?" Sarah asked.

"Goblins have some little magics, and are less humanoid. They are the ones that captured your brother, do the Underground's dirty work. The fae goblins are the Talented, intelligent goblins, and almost all are beautiful. Some turned goblins end up to be Fae, depending on how strongly their blood is connected with the original fae that founded humanity. I am almost a direct decendent, as are you."

"How can you tell?"

"Well, I can smell that you're a Goblin, but you don't look like a regular goblin. And...there is an odd scent about you. A little bit different from anybody else." Sarah digested this.

"What's your power?" She asked. Ravnan smiled and closed his blue eyes, winking slightly in concentration. The air around him seemed to shimmer, becoming uncertain of itself as the threads that make up the world unravled. Sarah blinked and he was suddenly at the door, unchanged and smiling.

"What...how did you do that?" She asked. "That's amazing!"

"Teleportation," Ravnan began, taking on the tone of one of her professors, "is the unknitting of the threads of the fabric of the world that surround you, and opening up another hole in another place. I need a piece of the place or to be able to see it in order to get there, though, so it doesn't work with everything." He walked back to her smiling.

"What's Jareth's Talent?" She asked, trying out the new word. Ravnan nodded, as though he knew she had been about to ask that.

"His Majesty is a Multitalent. There is very little he cannot do," He explained. "He is the most powerful that has ever been in the Underground but for Vandilon. And even Vandilon is still not quite so powerful as our King." Suddenly, there was a flash of silver glitter, and Jareth was back in the chamber, shaking magic dust off of his cape and wrapping his arms around Sarah protectively. Sarah akwardly patted his back.

"Hello, to you too. I missed you also. I can't breathe." Sarah gasped. Jareth lightened his hold a little but did not let go. "What's wrong? Is Toby okay?" Sarah asked frantically. Jareth shook his head.

"Toby is fine. Just dandy, Sarah. But...he has made a deal with the devil."

"What devil?" Sarah asked, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"His hatred has summoned up Vandilon, the most...villanous of all the Underground's inhabitants, lord of Eytnad." Jareth sighed, "also, my cousin."

"Why is he so bad?" Sarah asked. Jareth's blue eye sparked with anger.

"He wants to steal my throne, Sarah, steal the Underground..." he gritted his teeth, "steal you from me. Gods forbid that ever be allowed to happen. I won't let it happen!" He regained his death grip on Sarah and stayed locked around her for the next several minutes.

"Toby...what did he do?" Sarah demanded.

"Toby has great power. He is a direct decendant of the Original fae," Jareth said, his voice muffled by her shoulder. "Vandilon has taken it, and will use it against me. To defeat me. Maybe even kill me." Sarah flinched. "He will do everything in his power to get at you, too, Sarah. He needs you. Wants you."

"What? Why?"

"Love, you, too are a direct decendent. Your power rivals mine, might even be greater. How ELSE would you have defeated my Labyrinth, you silly. And...well, you are a beautiful woman in your own right." Jareth's fists clenched a bit. "If he takes you from me, I won't...I won't be able to go on. He'll threaten to hurt you, take you, anything that might make me give up my crown. Sarah, you need to stay with me. Until this all blows over, you don't leave my side. Understood?" Jareth wrenched her head back so that he could stare into her eyes. "Understood?" He repeated.

"Yeah, I get it." Sarah replied. His face relaxed and he sighed, burying his head once more in her long dark hair. Ravnan very quietly left the room to give the couple some privacy.

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Jareth knows now. He knows what I want, and he understands the girl's power. It's greater than her brothers. Even on the other side of the Underground, I can smell it. Taste it. All that power in one woman's body. They will both be mine: The power and the body. There is nothing Jareth can do to stop me. Nothing whatsoever.

**AN: So now we know how we all came to be. Maybe in a few hundred years humanity will rediscover magic and rejoin the Underground. Won't that be fun?**


	14. Skin Deep

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: So...I've been in rehearsal for a bazillion and one things, so I haven't updated. In a long while. Bad me. Please accept my humblest apologies.**

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"Woah, woah woah," Sarah said, holding up her hands and backing away from the tall goblin king. "NO. No way. Not acceptable at all." She motioned to the broad black silk bed. "I will NOT sleep with you." Jareth ran his hands through his hair, sighing in frustration.

"I need to be beside you always. Vandilon will take any and all opportunities to get at you, including where and while you sleep. If I'm with you, he won't dare." He sat down and pulled the heeled boots off of his feet. "I will do nothing to you that you don't want me to do." Sarah crossed her arms over her chest.

"Does it have to be YOUR bed? Why not mine? Why not another room in general?" She knew she was whining. She also knew that this time, she was thoroughly justified. "It just seems so...intimate. Mundane." Jareth raised a flared eyebrow. "Like something a human guy would do to get me to...you know..." The goblin king's face suddenly grew furious.

"But nobody ever...no one else has...you've never..." Surprisingly, his face reddened, and though Sarah knew exactly what he was going to ask, she still held in laughter and merely shot him an inquiring look. _He's gonna say it or I won't answer the question. _Jareth took a steadying breath. "You are untouched?" Sarah laughed, her anger momentarily forgotten.

"Of course I've been touched!" She smirked. Jareth looked even more thunderous, and Sarah waited a moment before continuing. "I mean, you have held me close, I've hugged my parents, I've shook hands with people..." The fae moaned and dropped his head into his gloved hands. "What?" Sarah asked innocently.

"You know what I mean."

"I'm not psychic. How should I know?"

"Have you or haven't you had sexual intercourse, you insufferable girl?" He demanded. Sarah's smile faded.

"No I haven't. You made sure of that." Jareth couldn't meet her accusing gaze.

"Sarah, I...I get jealous. Everyone does. Fae jealousy is even worse than human jealousy." He said softly, and stared at his hands.

"But did you have to keep veryone away? Don't you know how horrible it is, to think you're unwanted, that nobody loves you?" Sarah replied just as quietly. Jareth's blonde head snapped up, and his intense gaze burned into her.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." It was Sarah's turn to look away, and Jareth felt dismay wash over him as tears flooded her eyes.

"I'm...I'm sorry, truly, I didn't know. Still that's no excuse for...!"She could no longer speak through her tears. Jareth rose and folded his long arms about her, pressing her head to his chest as sobs shook her. "I'm so sorry, Jareth!" He stroked her hair gently.

"Shh, shh...We've both...hurt each other, but none of that really matters now, does it? We both know. We both...understand better than we did." He said. "Now come to bed. It's late. And I do swear not to do anything. Tonight." Sarah looked up through teary lashes into his classic smirk, then shut them again as their lips met in a gentle but promising kiss.

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"NO!" Came the cry from the throne room, and the sound of a shattering crystal. Vandilon stood staring at the dark shards, breathing heavily, eyes darker than ever with rage. "He'll not take her. She's mine. SHE'S MINE! He doesn't understand her power, he can't care for her, he...its just WRONG!" His fist connected with the sharp ege of his throne, and blood sprayed in a scarlet spurt. "DAMNIT!" Blixions scattered left and right under his frenzied pacing. "I must get her out before the week is done. No, before tomorrow! Let's see...mmm..." he stopped suddenly. "Ah! Of course..." He whirled and pointed at a particularly disgusting subject, made entirely out of organs held together by fur. The repulsive bundle rolled to Vandilon's feet, stopping with its single eye staring straight up at Vandilon. "Get me the dwarf we picked up two years ago. He should still be alive. NOW! Go go go!" The creature rolled away in a blur, and returned a moment later with a thin, filthy, mostly dead dwarf, dressed in tattered pantaloons and a leather vest with faces at the back. His breathing was labored but his eyes burned.

"What do YOU want?" He rasped. Vandilon grabbed him by the ear.

"What's your name again? Higwort? Hindel?" He hissed.

"Hoggle." Hoggle replied, not even flinching as Vandilon gave the ear a good yank.

"Whatever. What we need of you is...you. Or..." the lord of Eytnad picked up a shard of the shattered crystal. "More precisely, your skin. You see, a friend of yours has come to the Underground. For good. And wouldn't she just love to see you again? The only problem is, you're too incompetant to get her yourself. OR you'd tell on us. So I shall be you. I shall dress in your skin, and before the moon rises tomorrow..." he made the first cut down the side of Hoggle's arm, the green of his blood dripping into the mouths of the surrounding Blixions, "...she'll be mine. I'll tell her you say hello." Vandilon's teeth showed iin a vicious smile as he continued up past Hoggle's shoulder and up to his neck...

Hoggle never screamed.

**AN: Sorry Hoggle fans. It is necessary.**


	15. Sad News

A Lad Insane

Synopsis: Toby has been a resident of the Brownholm Insane Asylum since his eighth birthday, tormented with waking nightmares of a certain Goblin King. Sarah, on one of her visits finds that these "visions" are truly visits from the one that she thought was merely a dream: and the King is using Toby to get to her. But Why?

**AN: I'm sooo tired...I went to the midnight showing of Batman...AMAZING! Heath Ledger is...was...is phenomenal. His acting is amazing. He gave me good chills (like oh my god this is amazing) and bad chills (like jeez this guy is psycho) and almost makes me want to dye my hair green. But then I decided against it. Then I came home and started to write...and never finished. So this first part is actually almost a week and a half old...sorryyy...**

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Sarah opened her eyes blearily, tried to sit up. She panicked under a weight that held her down until she realized that it was just Jareth's arm. She rolled over very softly, and looked at him. _He looks almost innocent when he sleeps, _she realized. _Unguarded, not smirking. almost...safe. _She carefully stretched out a hand to stroke his cheek. It was smooth, but like marble. Nearly no give to it whatsoever, and as she brushed it a strange dust seemed to settle onto her hand. It was a goldy color, like his hair, but glowed. As though particles of the sun were being drawn from him. He opened his eyes sharply.

"Sarah..." he breathed, and seemed to relax. "Good morrow to you, dearest. How'd you sleep? Were you quite...comfortable?" He asked, and his trademark smirk was back on his face. She sat up, yanking her hand back.

"No. Your arm is heavy, and your body heat made it impossible for me to sleep comfortably. I was definately tossing and turning all night. Not a wink." She huffed, and stood, stretching. He chuckled.

"Well, I for one slept very well. But did you know that you talk in your sleep?" Sarah blanched.

"What did I say?" She demanded. Jareth yawned and rolled over, his spine showing through the loose fabric of his nightshirt.'

"Mmm, not much. Just the usual. Talking about your brother. Your family. Merlin." He peered over his shoulder, the brown eye twinkling. "And you mentioned my name a great deal. I was rather pleased about that, actually." Sarah stood agape as the Goblin King rolled onto his stomach and promptly went back to sleep.

"That...arrogant...!" She fumed and stormed out of the room, back down the stairs, and into the great hall, throwing on a dressing robe as she went to cover up the long loose linen nightshirt. "I don't remember ANYTHING about dreaming about him. I don't talk in my sleep! How DARE he-" She ran into a short goblin, muttered a distracted hello, and continued on her way.

"Uh...Sarah..." the goblin behind her called. Not _milady _or _mistress _or _miss. _And that voice...!

"Hoggle! She exclaimed, turning and throwing her arms about the dwarf. He was smaller than she remembered, and although she wouldn't have thought it possible, his face had even MORE lines than before. He grunted and patted her shoulder akwardly.

"Hello. I...I heard you were back and I thought that...maybe I would come see you." He said shyly. "I missed you."

"Oh, I missed you too!" Sarah exclaimed, tears blurring her vision. "Every time I called for you...you were never there! Neither were Ludo, or Sir Didymus! Where are they? Are they here too?" She asked eagerly. Her heart sank as she set eyes on Hoggle's expression. "Hoggle?"

"Even in the Underground, we die. And for us, it is so much easier. Ludo was an old beast. And Didymus..." Hoggle sniffed back a tear. "Didymus fell from the back of his steed and...and..." Hoggle could no longer contain himself. "Oh, Sarah, its been so lonely!" He clung to her dress sobbing. Sarah held his shoulders numbly. Ludo and Didymus...dead? No...it couldn't be...

"Let's go for a walk, Hoggle." He lifted his tearstained face.

"Okay, yes..." he replied. "Yes, let's, Sarah." Hand in wizened hand, the duo walked toward the gardens in the palace courtyard.

**_AN: Ohh, mann..._**


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